Bukidnon: The provincial government of Bukidnon has launched a gender and development tool aimed at modernizing public service and ensuring equality in access to programs and projects.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the commencement of a three-day training for key staff and officials, Provincial Administrator Cherry Pepito introduced the Harmonized Gender and Development Guidelines (HGDG) Tool to help mainstream gender equality across the provincial bureaucracy. Pepito emphasized the tool's role in strengthening the commitment to gender equality and inclusive development.

The HGDG Tool, developed by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development along with the Philippine Commission on Women, provides checklists to analyze gender issues and evaluate whether projects meet gender requirements during design, implementation, and monitoring phases. Provincial officials highlighted the training as a reflection of the government's commitment to ensuring that development initiatives are gender-responsive and inclusive.

The tool is intended to aid agencies in identifying and addressing potential gender gaps, ensuring equitable benefits for both women and men from public programs and services.